The new generation of the Maruti Suzuki Celerio has been revealed. The small A-segment hatchback claims to be India’s most fuel-efficient petrol car, with a mileage of 26.68 km/l (62.76 mpg). It will be offered in four trim levels, with a five-speed manual transmission as standard, while an automated manual (AGS) can be optioned on the VXi, ZXi, and ZXi+. The second-gen Celerio is slightly larger than the outgoing model. It measures 3,695 mm in length, 1,655 mm in width, 1,555 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,435 mm. Moreover, the 313-liter boot is 40 percent larger than the outgoing model.
Producing 65 hp and 89 Nm of torque, the Celerio certainly won’t be setting any output records.
The engine is a development of the commonly-used K10. Known as the K10C, it’s
more often found in turbocharged orm in applications such as the Baleno,
Vitara, and Swift. Fuel efficiency is the name of the game here, with Maruti
Suzuki claiming that this is a “next-generation” engine. It features a segment-first
start-stop function, while the 1.0-liter lump also features Dual VVT, a cooled
EGR, and an integrated exhaust manifold.
The result is a fuel efficiency figure
rated at 26.68 km/l (62.76 mpg) for the VXi AMT version, an improvement of 23
percent compared to the car it replaces. Other models score marginally less,
with the Manual ZXi+ MT version the worst at 24.97 km/l (58.73 mpg). There will
also be a compressed-natural-gas version of the Celerio that will be introduced
further down the line. Adopting a “Dynamic 3D Organic Sculpting” design
language, the new car looks friendlier than before, with rounded headlights and
taillights, as well as a grinning front grille. There are even accentuated
wheel arches, while the usual black plastic body cladding is absent. Six
exterior color options are available, namely Arctic White, Silky Silver,
Glistening Grey, Solid Fire Red, Speedy Blue, and Caffeine Brown.
The interior has been redesigned too. The
Celerio now features a seven-inch touchscreen at the center, which will be
offered on higher variants. Other features include keyless entry, push-button
start, 60:40 split rear seats, steering-mounted audio controls, and a
height-adjustable driver’s seat. Maruti Suzuki says that the new Celerio will
focus on safety, with dual airbags and ABS with EBD as standard. There is also
a new hill-hold assist with their AGS transmission, which will likely prove to
be helpful for the automated manual gearbox’s tricky clutch engagement on
hills.
The company also claims that their new
Celerio complies with all Indian safety regulations, including frontal-offset,
side crash, and pedestrian protection. Moreover, the new car is built on
Suzuki’s “HEARTECT” platform, which is said to offer “a smooth structure for
effective absorption and dispersion of impact force,” with high-tensile steel
incorporated in the construction. However, Maruti Suzuki hasn’t had the best of
track records when it comes to Global NCAP ratings. The last Celerio walked
away with zero stars back in 2016, although that model lacked airbags
completely. The last car based on the Heartect platform tested by NCAP was the
Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, which also scored zero stars in adult occupant
protection, while the Indian-made Baleno for Latin America also scored poorly.
The new Maruti Suzuki Celerio will start
at INR 499,000 (US$ 6,700) for the base-spec LXi manual, rising to INR 694,000
(US$ 9,320) for the top-of-the-line VXi+ with AGS. Competition will come in the
form of the Hyundai Santro, Tata Tiago, and Datsun Go, as well as Maruti
Suzuki’s own Wagon R.
